Kettaitōkami
by Themulchmeister
Summary: A somewhat blended AU incorporating dystopian, sci-fi/fantasy and war themes. A seemingly horrible terrorist attack has sparked one fiery-haired seventeen-year old to take up arms against a regime which has ruled over his home for decades. With the help of a young raven-haired freedom fighter, can Ichigo, Rukia and the Shinigami alliance quash Aizen's elite Espada forces?
1. Boy has a Bad Day

**1.**

Neo-Karakura: 3rd day of September 2044.

The day started like any other for High Schooler Ichigo Kurosaki.

"Dammit! Why didn't my alarm go off!?" Racing down the stairs came Ichigo, with one sleeve of his uniform slung on and the other dangling loosely by his right shoulder.

"I kept yelling for you to wake up but you wouldn't listen!" whined Ichigo's mother – who was in fact his younger sister Yuzu.

"Ichi-nii could sleep through a freaking cyclone." Ichigo's other younger sister, Karin, said as she flicked between TV channels.

_'#And the President wishes everyone at home a splendid morning as we wake up to sunny skies and a pleasant 20 degrees.#' _

"Grr, now I just know I'm gunna forget something, quick Yuzu throw me some toast!"

Ichigo wasn't thrown a toast like he requested but was nearly thrown a foot to his face – a foot which belonged to his overly eccentric father.

"Oh son! You make me so proud every time you evade my ambush attacks," Ichigo's father, Isshin wailed like a child a quarter of his age as he rubbed his cheek. "Masaki would've been so proud of you too son."

"For chrissake why'd you have to bring Mum up at a time like this?" Ichigo's morning rush quickly dampened into scornful reflection of his late mother's death, or rather, her murder at the hands of terrorists.

"Now son, we all share your mother's thoughts in our heart everyday, but it doesn't mean we can't carry on with our lives and have a bit of-"

"SHUT UP DAD!" Ichigo would have punched his father right through the wall at that point but he took his anger out on the kitchen-top instead. Yuzu would get terrified whenever she saw her older brother turn violent but Karin was more reserved – opting to avert her focus on the TV screen as usual.

"_#Good morning my loyal citizens of Neo-Karakura. I hope you all strive to work hard in maintaining our prosperous and peaceful society. Remember that I, Aizen Sosuke, value your contribution to building our city and defying the terrorists who seek to threaten our peaceful and prosperous ways.#'_

"I think I'll skip breakfast this morning." Ichigo turned away from his family as he slung his bag around one shoulder and headed out.

Yuzu looked down at something on the floor. "Oh wait Ichigo you forgot your-"

But with the door slamming shut, the fiery haired teenager was already gone.

* * *

As Ichigo made the trek to Karakura High (which was not to be confused with the more recently established Neo-Karakura High) , more giant screens filled the windowspace of buildings, but over the years, the colourful neon ads had to compete with the giant TV monitors reporting the news or the daily message from the President.

"Fuckin' hell I'm so sick of that Aizen fellow spouting his morning bullshit everyday." Ichigo had overheard a few delinquents from another school chatting about how much they really liked their peaceful leader.

"Rack off ya' brats!" an old shopkeeper came out with his broom to shoo away the delinquents. "I won't have you lot trashing our great leader near my business.

"Hey Fuck you gramps!" The gang all offered their middle fingers to the shopkeeper as they moved on down the street. It wasn't long before a couple of white suited individuals followed them.

"Man...What a day," Ichigo pressed a hand to his forehead as he resumed his morning commute.

* * *

"HEY ICHIGO MY BRO HOW'S IT BEEN MY -oof" One of Ichigo's classmates and biggest parasite, Keigo was answered by the bright-haired kid's bag against his face.

"Oh hey, Keigo, I'm alright I guess," Ichigo looked down at him as though he hadn't seen him coming. Ichigo looked at the smaller black-haired kid next to him. "Working on your phone again Mizuiro?"

"Yeah, I think I've nearly worked out how to get that function." The little techno prodigy didn't even avert one eye away from his handheld device as he kept stabbing his thumb into the touchscreen. "Once I've taken down the firewall, I can access those old movies and animes again."

"Well good luck with your hacking then." As Ichigo headed into his classroom, he waved a hand to one of the most noticeable members of his class – the goliath. "Hey Chad, what's up?"

The gentle giant waved a hand back. "Oh hey Ichigo."

"Hey Ichi-GO!" the feeling of a headlock from behind could have only come from one source.

"Kah! Hey Tatsuki." the chokehold victim turned and saw the cheeky tomboy with her spiky black hair much longer than usual. "If you were a boy, I would've kicked your arse like I do to Keigo a long time ago."

"Haha! Even if you could hit me, I'd still knock you out of the dojo!" Tatsuki snickered as she went for her desk. "Oh yeah, did you remember?"

"Huh?"

"What'dya mean huh? Don't act all retarded on me now boy, did you remember what today is?"

Still confused, Ichigo scratched his head and muttered a weird sounding, "I dunno."

"Hi Kurosaki-kun!" before he could work out his answer Ichigo heard a bright and cheerful voice from behind his back. He turned and found Orihime Inoue, the one girl that could make this bleachhead truly melt if she knew her hidden power over him. "Howzit _goooin_~?"

"I uh-" Ichigo laughed nervously as he consulted with Tatsuki. She, however, was now shaking her head and crossing her arms. "Orihime, was there something about today I-"

"Oh you remembered did you?" Orihime clapped her heels together and beamed. "Okay, what was it you remembered Kurosaki-kun?"

Ichigo knew he had caught himself in a corner. He had had a crush over this chestnut haired girl for three years and all this time he had tried to impress her. But what was it about this day that Orihime and Tatsuki kept going on about he wondered.

"Don't tell me you forgot Ichigo?" Tatsuki got up off her chair. "That it was Inoue-san's birthday today."

"Wait, was it Orihime's birthday already? I thought it was-"

Ichigo was cut off by a swift slap to his left cheek. As everyone in the class stared in silence, he had noticed Orihime's hair fall over her face as her shoulders heaved between sobs. "I thought you of all people would have remembered my birthday, but I guess I was wrong."

And as Orihime threw her sobbing head into her hands and turned towards the door – her best friend Tatsuki following her – Ichigo reached out a hand. "Please wait Orihime, I didn't mean to forget. I lo-"

BOOOOOOOOOM!

A great explosion swept through the school. Glass rained down upon the students as the ceiling crumbled and beams impaled through these young adult's hearts. Smoke and fire ravaged the room in just seconds as Ichigo tried to shout over ringing out of his ears.

"_Hey! What the fuck just happened? Hey anyone! Hey! What the fuck's going on!? HEY!"_

Somewhere between Ichigo's screams, he had passed out. Sometime later – possibly only a few minutes – Ichigo opened his eyes to witness the true carnage.

Tiny flames licked the corners of the ashen room. Chairs, desks and furniture were strewn across the floor with more debris. Glass littered the ground like giant pieces of sharp glitter. Beneath the heavy smell of smoke, reeked a foul odour like rotten fish or meat.

Between coughs, Ichigo called out to his friends. "Chad! Keigo! Mizuiro! Tatsuki!" He sucked in as much air in this toxic space as possible before he shouted out again. "Orihime!"

As he climbed over a fallen beam, Ichigo tripped over it; his hand landing in a wet and squishy puddle. "Ugh, what is-"

He followed the wet and squishy trail, it led to a ball of chestnut hair. Ichigo stroked backed the loose bangs of hair, whispering out her name. "Orihime?"

Though it was quite dark, Orihime's wide open eyes were as visible as day. Her slightly parted lips, formed into a frown of confused terror. Not enough time to have even screamed or cried...Just dead.

"No..." a word left Ichigo's breath as he looked at the crimson dye he had left in Orihime's hair. "No this can't be fuckin' real." As he shook his head, he slid back and hit another object. Turning around he saw Orihime's 'best friend forever' fulfilling her contract with all her guts spilling out of a large tear in her stomach.

"Fuck no...No this shit's not happening!" Ichigo crawled away from the two of them as he met more bloodied corpses, decorating the classroom with their blood, guts and limbs arranged as disordered as their lunchboxes.

"Hey..." Ichigo held back tears as he leaned against the fallen blackboard. "You guys...Is anyone..."

"Ichi-" a large arm clung over a desk as Chad raised his crimson head. The left side of his body was completely gone, his hand splashed more red paint onto the desk as he struggled to get himself over. "Ichi-go...I-I."

The gentle giant of the class never got to finish that sentence. The rest of his legless body fell over the edge of the desk as he smacked the floor with a wet thud.

Ichigo's teeth wouldn't stop chattering. The weather lady said it'd be a pleasant 20 degrees but now he felt so cold...So very chilled down to the bone. His eyes wouldn't stop bulging out their sockets and he couldn't stop shaking either.

"G-g-g-g-g-gn-gn-gn-NOOOOOO!"

The 3rd of September. A day that started just like any other.

A day that would change a 17 year-old's life forever...


	2. Boy Meets a Shinigami

**2.**

"_Hey Kurosaki-kuuun! My parents are going away in a few weeks. Tatsuki-chan and I decided we'd invite the whole class over for a party at my place then. Ya wanna come~?"_

"_Hehe...Well Hime-chan I better check to make sure my Pop's doesn't need me working at the clinic first and then I-hwup!"_

"_Whadd'ye mean ya dork! Of course you're gunna come to Orihime's party!"_

"_Geez Tatsuki! Yeah, I'll see what I can do to get out that night. It'll be great!"_

"_Hmm-hmm...Yeah, I just can't wait!"_

* * *

Ichigo wasn't sure how long he had been staring up at his left hand. A hand which would forever be stained in Orihime's blood. Pieces of a white ceiling were visible between each finger, but the dark terror of that room still lingered in the poor young man's vision – burned into his memory much like the flames which took down his school...his friends...everything that ever mattered to him...

"So you're the boy who managed to survive the attack on Karakura High?" Ichigo's eyes moved away from his hand for a moment as he glanced over to the right side of the room. With a voice that was quite neutral, and hardly held the type of sympathy or sensitivity for the profession, a doctor with hair as white as the walls and sheets of the room entered. He held a small, flat square object which produced a hologram, displaying a few various graphs and data. "Your vital signs are okay, slight bruising of the right arm and mild concussion. Otherwise no adverse injuries." The way he rattled off the information almost seemed too robotic to be considered a human speaking.

When he took his other hand and lifted the bridge of his lenses, he seemed to share a slightly more human-like expression on his pale face. "My name is Dr. Ryuuken Ishida, I've been treating a number of victims of terrorists attacks and other traumatic events for the last ten years. You're one of the lucky ones today it seems." He took a couple of paces across the room to a small trolley, taking out a small syringe. "I can't say I understand the feeling of losing so many of your friends so suddenly. I can't imagine how heartless you must be to inflict such trauma into other people's lives either."

Dr. Ishida grabbed Ichigo's left hand and was about to administer the needle when his black device started vibrating on the desk. "Oh, I'll come back in a minute." Just as he was about to flit away out the door, the doctor took a step back in the room and pressed a switch on the wall which brought down a large flatscreen television. "The remote should just be to your right if you want to switch channels."

Ichigo seemed too out of it to be able to make any sort of motor task such as switching stations. His eyes were dull with sunrise bags underneath. The lights emitted from television screen provided some minor stimulation to the fiery haired kid's senses as he took in what appeared to be a breaking news report.

_'#It is a very sad day in Neo-Karakura as the scourge of our nation reach a new low – targeting our next generation of bright young students at Kamakura High.' _

The screen displayed various helicopter shots of the smoke billowing ruins of the school; cutting to shots of the emergency recovery crew carrying out stretcher with sheets covering over the young corpses, some weren't covered so successfully though with a few charred limbs slipping into screenshot. Digging through the rubble, sometimes only pieces of jewellery or a few organic white pearls could be retrieved.

_'#The death toll is yet to be confirmed as many of students are still unaccounted for but it is predicted to reach as high as 600. The President will devote tomorrow as a day of mourning for the many innocent lives lost this day and just an hour ago at a press release had a poignant message for those responsible for the attack:#'_

The report cut over to a recording of Neo-Karakura's president, his long brown bang falling down a little more loosely today as he read out his speech.

_'#Neo-Karakura will not waver from your acts of mass murder and senseless destruction. We remain united in our stand to fight evil and protect our liberties and justice. Our hearts are with the families of those who lost their most cherished souls on this day. We will become stronger through this tragedy and make sure every last one of those responsible for this attack are found and dealt with.#'_

What did it matter for Ichigo though? He had already lost the most special friend of his life. No-one could bring her or any of those poor lost souls back.

_Maybe it would have been better if I had died back there too with all the others...That way I wouldn't have to be so alone...I could have held onto your hand forever...Hime-chan.._

Ichigo let his head drop back into the pillow. The tears would leak out of his eyes as he wept in silence.

* * *

Pacing up one of the hospital corridors was a short framed young woman in quite a tacky (but all the more alluring) peach coloured cosplay nurse outfit. A cute rabbit keychain dangled off her white phone as she produced a small map on the screen. "Okay, it _has_ to be down this corridor. Otherwise, I'm gonna have to kill Urahara-Sensei for this."

Ignoring the many suspicious glares and stares from some of the real nurses and orderlies, the petite young girl held down the front of her dress as she hurried on down the hall. "Oh I am _sooo _gonna murder him now!"

Thankfully she could stop chaffing her legs as she reached the end of the corridor, using the staff key to open the door. "Hey champ, I hear you've had a rough day today."

Ichigo didn't even budge or show any reaction when the skimpy nurse entered the room. She slowly closed the door and fixed her little hat as she walked over to the surgical trolley. "Okay that was a bad joke. I'm sorry." She examined a few of the doctor's toys: picking up scalpels and saws and something which looked like a pizza-cutter for the latest hominid range. "I could never be a real nurse, you'd have to have been through a pretty fucked up childhood to grow up wanting to cut up people's flesh eh?"

Ichigo didn't seem eager to join the strange play-nurse's banter.

"Oh come on! You can't let yourself be anchored down by emotions over your friend's loss. Lift that chin up young man; if you wanna make a difference then you can't just lie there in your own tears."

Whatever this phony nurse's treatment was meant to be, it wasn't working. "Don't tell me I'm already too late?" sighing, she scanned the room until she found the syringe. "Looks like he hasn't administered the drug yet. Good."

Some footsteps near the door startled the mysterious nurse as she went over and lifted Ichigo into a seated position. "Damn I thought that call'd stall him some more. I've gotta get you outta here."

Needless to say, a 4'8 scrawny psuedo-nurse trying to lift a 5'11 giant (relatively speaking) out of his bed was a futile task from the beginning. "Ugh. Dammit kid I can't carry you. You're gonna have to use those legs of yours."

She had put a little jam on the lock when she entered, so the doctor was wrenching with the door handle as he struggled to get back in. "Shit! We're really gonna get caught now!" Shaking her head and searching for a plan, she found the window beckoning to be used. "Alright. Hope you land on your feet."

It took her about two agonising minutes to lug the big orange haired doll over towards the window as she braced him up against the wall. Multiple fists were now bashing on the door as Rukia opened the window, letting a fresh breeze into the room.

"Alrightey." She grunted more like a heavily-built man than her appearance would suggest as she got half of Ichigo's body to hang over the windowsill. "Two storeys...That's enough height for half a somersault I think."

The door flew open with a loud bang. There was no more time to delay. She threw Ichigo's legs out with the rest of his body as the teen fell about ten metres into some thick shrubs for mild cushioning.

Doctor Ryuuken had returned with several nurses as they poured into the room. "What is the meaning of this?"

Holding down the front of her outfit, the raven-haired nurse gave a mocking salute to the doctor. "He's all clear for release sir~!" she squeaked out in her forced teeny-bopper tone as she let herself fall backwards out the window. Pressing a button on her phone she managed to create a puff of pink smoke as she landed softly on the ground sitting atop a bunny-head shaped bouncy ball.

"Thanks Chappy!" When she pressed the button on her phone again the bouncy bunny ball vanished into another cloud of pink smoke. "Sorry but Chappy only accommodates for one," she started scrounging the bushes to find the kid she had just thrown quite unhesitatingly out of a two storey window.

She found Ichigo laying in a bed of twigs. She yanked the boy out of the shrubs, throwing his arm over one of her shoulders. "Gee you've been drinking your milk haven't you? You're certainly making me work hard for this job." As they began walking away from the hospital wing she mentally slapped her forehead. "Oh by the way my name's-"

A very faint voice which could have just been his breath came out of the distraught bleach-head. "Where are you taking me?" The way he asked it almost seemed like someone else had possessed his body and done the speaking for him.

"Where am I taking you?" The cute little kidnapper shrieked – probably because she hadn't expected a complete sentence out of the husk. "I'm taking you away from those creeps; that's the most important thing."

"Hime-chan..." Ichigo breathed out her name, hardly seeming interested in his captors answer. "Tatsuki, Chad...They're all...I saw them...they're..."

"There!" A few angry voices came from around the corner of the hospital wing. "They're over there! I found them! Oi get back here!"

Wielding clubs and other blunt weapons, this little amateur kidnapper was really getting tested with these hospital wardens. In desperation she tried to explain the situation with the boy once more. "Look. I understand this is a tough time for you right now, but those guys over there are going to do far worse to you than what happened to your precious friends if we don't get the fuck outta here!"

"I don't care what they do to me." Ichigo sighed weakly as she tried picking up his pace. "From what I've seen, I'm already dead."

It seemed this girl could only play the slutty nurse type for only so long as she finally threw down the boy against a tree and gave him a swift slap to the cheek. "Fine. Suits me if you wanna stay here and die like a useless worm! What do I care if you don't try and stand up and fight the very people who killed your friends! Just sit there and fucking be a vegetable then!"

Those words seemed to lift Ichigo's eyelids a little as the girl braced herself for a dozen or so burly hospital guards. "This is a bit much just for an attempted kidnapping. Well I guess it can't be helped..."

As the guards drew closer to the girl she held out her hand which held the phone and, with her other hand, brushed across the screen as though she were scrolling up the page of her touchscreen. However this simple action had created a large beam of white light which went towards the guards, leaving behind a thick blanket of cold mist.

"That should keep 'em back for a while-" But just as she turned away to make her flight, a club-wielding arm came out of the mist and jabbed her in the lower back knocking the wind out of her and sending her down to her knees.

"Cheh! Thought you could get away from us little girl?" The guard, who appeared to have some shaved ice all over his uniform, kicked the smaller nurse to the ground. With a malicious smirk on his face, he reached out and caught one of the girl's legs as she tried to crawl away. She fought back though – albeit not very successfully - as she tried kicking her captor with her other heel.

Witnessing this strange girl's struggle The orange 'husk' was only now starting to notice the severity of both their plights. _'I should do something...But...then again...What's the point anymore?'_

"GHH! Fortunately I can take care of myself with this one." The squirming nurse suddenly showed a more cool expression and this time, instead of kicking against the man's grip, drew him in closer by pulling her legs in. surprised, the man lost his footing and lurched towards her.

That's when she flicked her hand across her phone one more time.

Shunk. The depraved guard's grin suddenly inverted to a frown of painful shock as crimson rain sprouted from his back before dotting across his face and uniform. The spray of blood wet Ichigo's face too; the stench of death sparking – ironically – some life back into his eyes.

When the man's fountain finally dried up, the killer girl kicked the man's body off of her; a thin white line of pure light appearing to extend out out of her phone came into view as lines of red stained its otherwise beautiful form.

Rather than show any signs of shock or fear towards this little kidnapping nurse with fresh blood on her hands, Ichigo got up and simply out of a doped curiosity asked her. "Wh-What are you?"

She held her light emitting object to the side, with Ichigo noting how it curved slightly almost exactly the same way her bang curved down the middle of her forehead, before she offered him a stern expression and answered him slowly.

"I am Rukia Kuchiki...and I am a Shinigami."


	3. Boy's Bad Crowd

**3.**

"_Yo' carrot top! I hear you beat down three of me lads last week. D'ya think you can take all us on?"_

"_That depends. Can I blindfold myself first so I don't have to look at your ugly faces."_

"_Whadd'ya say? That's it-"_

"_OOF!"_

"_OWW!"_

"_WAGH!"_

"_Aww, come on Chad, I could have taken care of them myself y'know."_

"_Sorry Ichigo, but I just hate seeing anyone outnumbered in a fight."_

"_Haha! Yeah, I guess you're a good mate Chad. Whenever I'm in a pinch, I'll just call up my bodyguard eh?"_

"_Hmm..."_

* * *

Rukia had taken Ichigo to her chariot of escape: a floral pattern Kombi van. It was the kind of vehicle that wouldn't possibly arouse any suspicion – except that it may have some flower puffing fanatics inside.

Unfortunately, Ichigo wasn't quite in the mood to point out what he truly thought of the hippie van; instead he just let the phone-blade-weilding nurse or whatever she was push him into the cabin as she ducked inside after him.

The remaining guards – who looked like they'd just had a quick ice bucket shower – were now pursuing them. Rukia yelled at the driver to floor it as the Kombi rattled into ignition and sped away from the foot powered pursuers.

"Phew, that was close," Rukia wiped her forehead with the little nurse hat she had taken off.

There was someone else sitting in the passenger seat of the van, a man who definitely fitted the Ganja image with his wild red hair which spiked out the back like a pineapple. He lifted his John Lennon shades as he turned around and greeted their guest. "Don't worry man, we've got a license for this thing and it's all registered and stuff. We ain't gonna take you on some rainbow trip – though I could go for one right now."

Ichigo, not surprisingly, was quite confused at the pineapple heads words. "Who the hell are you people?"

"Ah! So the boy does speak!?" The equally eccentric looking driver – a man with mopped blonde hair and wearing a green and white striped bucket hat. "Say kid, do you know much about your cars? This one's the T2 model you see and she's been coughing and spluttering ever since I fed her the new feed they got round at the pump you see so do you think I need to giver her some lube or put her back on the old diet?"

"For God's sake Urahara, this kid's already been through enough today. The last thing he needs is to sort out your crapmobile's problems," Rukia said as she tried keeping her balance with each bump and swerve the van took.

"Yeah, I guess I look past the bigger picture sometimes," The driver smiled as he held onto his hat with one hand whilst doing some heavy steering with the other.

Ichigo wasn't sure where he was going; he only saw glimpses of shapes outside the windows as they past by like square, featureless clouds. He still had no idea who these people were or why they were so interested in him. He wondered if all this was distracting him from taking in the deaths of all his friends. What was that about a Shinigami? And her phone turning into some sort of blade; the drugs?

"I can imagine you're probably wondering what's going on right now kid." And why was this little girl referring to him as a kid anyway? She looked about the same age as Ichigo – if not even younger. But she had an air of maturity about her which might have suggested her age was much older. "But first maybe you should take this."

The old/young girl handed the confused boy a teddy bear shaped pill. "Don't worry, it's not like the drugs those creeps at the hospital were gonna give you – it'll just help you relax a bit."

"The kid probably needs something stronger that that candy baby," the redhead pineapple added. "I've got all the medicine he needs. Does he like Mickey Mouse or Donald Duck? I think I've got some Looney Tune character shaped ones if he-"

"For fuck sake Renji he's not having a bong!" Rukia snapped back at the stoner who quickly flinched and went back in his chair. "Please just take it. It's just a mild stimulant."

"Whatever." Ichigo felt like he had not much to lose with this crowd anyway. If he couldn't trust those doctors, he probably had a better chance with these cosplaying stoners.

After a few minutes with nothing but the bumping and gurgling engine providing noise, Rukia asked the boy in a more motherly tone. "So are you feeling any better now?"

Ichigo sighed deeply, stretching out one leg as put up the knee of his other one, leaning his head into his hand as he ruffled his orange locks. "I've just lost all my best mates. Everyone, they were all taken away from me like that," he said waving his hand to signify an explosion. "How are you supposed to feel when the girl you loved's head is staring up at you, decapitated from her body?"

Ichigo's words brought the mood down a little in the flower van as Rukia slid over and rubbed the back of his shoulder. "Sorry I was a little harsh on you back there. I should have realised how tough all this must be right now."

"Hime-chan." It seemed the teddy candy – rather than offer any relief – brought about some fresh tears in the fiery haired boy as he broke down; Rukia letting him cry into her chest. "She was such a beautiful girl. She didn't have to die like that. None of them had to die. It should have been me."

"Don't say that," Rukia said softly as she stroked his back. "If you lived, that means you still have a greater role to fill out in this world."

"Orihime wanted to be world class chef," Ichigo started laughing through his sobs. "She was never good at cooking anything, she always put the weirdest ingredients together. But she wanted to be a cook for her brother...She had lost her parents in an accident at a young age, then her brother to a bomb attack as well...But losing her brother was like losing her only parent...So she went to Tatsuki, and she became her family after that..."

Ichigo clenched a fist as he held it out in front of him. "What the hell is wrong with me? She had it much worse than me – losing her family. I still have most of my family...I must be so selfish."

"No you're not," Rukia said firmly. "It's good to see you care a lot about other people. You're just the kind of person we need on our side."

"Huh?" Now that his mind felt a little clearer, Ichigo could try and gather his situation a little better. "What do you mean 'our side'?"

Before Rukia could answer, Urahara sang out, "we're here~!" As he cranked the van to an abrupt stop.

Ichigo got out of the van and saw he was outside a small traditional style hut, surrounded by tons of modern age high rise apartments and offices. It was quite amazing to see such an old shack still around these days. There was a sign on the roof which read 'Urahara's Shop' in peeling black paint.

"Ugh, thank Christ we made it back in one piece." Renji cracked his neck to one side as he held a joint in his mouth. "I think you're driving alone makes me drunk."

"Oh come on I'm not that awful." Urahara teased. Ichigo noticed the two of them were wearing brightly coloured kimono; Urahara's a lime green and Renji's a blood red colour.

"Well should I give the kid a tour of the store?" Urahara declared in his happy tone as he kept his hat down.

"Hang on, you guys still haven't given me half a sentence as to who you even are yet." Ichigo definitely felt more composed now. Which was lucky; for all he knew they might be leading him to a meth lab or something.

"We'll tell you all about us right after we sit down to some tea." Urahara went away in his happy bliss, dancing and twirling his hand. "Oh and we can give you some products for discount and-"

"Tell me who you people are!" Ichigo snapped as he stood with a firm stance. "In just one day, I've seen my friends slaughtered; a weird nurse throw me out of a window, kill a person with her mobile phone, take me into a creepy van and then taken to this run down place. I think it's only reasonable that one of you druggies gives me a half decent explanation right now before I go any further."

The three strangers all shared uneasy glances before Rukia stepped up. "You see, Ichigo, well the truth is we Shinigami are-"

"AH-HAH! There they are!" Just when it seemed there had been enough interruptions, Ichigo and the others found themselves cornered by a dozen of gun wielding officers in white shirts, pants and caps. These people were part the Neo-Karakura police force. "Tell metro command that we've found the three suspects and the boy has been unharmed."

Ichigo's eyes suddenly widened as he looked back at the three crooks, their heads lowered. He heard one of the officers – a bulky man with a bushy brown beard – step forward.

"I'm Sergeant Fisher. And I'm arresting the three of you for kidnapping and on the suspicion of terrorism and mass murder."


	4. Boy Awakens

**Sorry for the long wait. And sorry for what must be the fourth name change or so by now. I'm sticking with this one as it's vague enough to not give off any literal meaning of the story but also has some significance and relevance with the language I used (pretty obvious though). I just want something short and snappy to refer to this story rather than a long title like before - nothing too tacky sounding either. Honestly if I could, I wouldn't even give this story a name as it really doesn't give what my intentions are enough justice whichever type of name I Christen it with. So please for my sake try and be satisfied with the strange new name...It's only a name...Let's get on with the damn story shall we?  
**

**4.**

_"Ichi-nii, just hurry up and ask someone to take our picture!"_

_"Alright already Karin, just lemme find a trusty looking guy."  
_

_"Ichigo, the soles of my shoes are burning!"  
_

_"Sorry Yuzu, just hang on a bit longer 'kay?"  
_

_"Geez bro' a seagull could've taken a shot of us by now."  
_

_"Okay I'll ask this guy, hey where the hell's Dad gone anyway?"  
_

_"Okay three...two..."  
_

_"See now we'll have a picture of the three of us by the Central Courtyard's Fountain."  
_

_"Make that four Ichigo!"  
_

_"DA-AD!"  
_

* * *

"Run Ichigo!"

What the fuck was happening!? Ichigo's thoughts had been pulsed up with adrenalin, kick-starting some sort of will – instinct perhaps – to survive. But confusion was also staining the elixir's effect as the police officers suddenly had Rukia and the other two accomplices in their grasp.

"What are you waiting for!" That fiery raven cried out to him again, but unlike her cell, it wasn't as simple to get a full signal from a frightened young man. Just as Sergeant Fisher's men looked like they were about to snare the boy, Rukia grit her teeth and pulled out her phone, rubbing her thumb across the screen brought out a short burst of the familiar sharp light as she brought it upwards, slicing her captor's right arm and taking his ear as a bonus.

"GAAAGH! THAT BITCH!" As the officer screamed, trying to work out which part of his body was in more agony, Rukia swiped her left foot underneath the other guard and drove her phone deep into his sternum.

She always wanted to see what it would look like with a crimson casing.

"Go now Ichigo! Or don't you wish to save your family!?"

Those words. What could Ichigo's family have to do with all this mess? As the guard looked more focused on the deadly phone wielding girl, Ichigo found a small hole in the wooden fence surrounding the old shop. He had no time to weigh up whether it would fit his frame. He would dive for it like a mouse to some cheese. His family were the only important people left in his poor life. He didn't wish to question how genuine this stranger's words were.

He had to see his family.

He had to stop a tragedy like that happening again.

* * *

Ichigo must have been feeling the after-effects of that pill. Something about this constant tightrope game of life and death was starting to fill him with a new energy. A feeling he had not experienced since his class sucked in too much oxygen on one fateful day in science class. But even that was about as close as he could equate to this current rush of endorphins – this euphoria...

He never thought he could run this fast. Energy was flushing through the veins of his limbs and swinging him forward. Throbbing and pulsating with each breath – with each kick off the ground.

Dodging poles and barriers and bollards of all sorts seemed as trivial as brushing a hand through blades of grass. Weaving through the traffic and bounding over walls felt more like a simulation in a video game than such a physical strain might otherwise suggest.

Something had to have been put into Ichigo's body at one point. One of those doctors must have injected him with some powerful enhancements while he was under.

Yuzu.

Karin.

Those sister's alone must have given him the real kick. He didn't allow any thoughts of what might happen to them run through his mind. The only thing tracking along his brainwaves was how much further till he would reach home.

Time even seemed to flow different at the kind speeds as he was doing. Just how many minutes could have elapsed since he left those police officers? There didn't seem to enough room in that conscience to properly assess the seconds as they flowed. He felt himself blink for a moment, he could have used that as a reference point if he wanted to.

Screw time.

Screw logic.

Ichigo's family were all that mattered.

* * *

Perhaps fortunately, Ichigo was able to put the brakes on himself once he reached the front gate to his house. As soon as he felt what earth's velocity felt like again, Ichigo's stomach had finally caught up with him; squatting as he felt the momentum of his insides escape out of his mouth quite violently.

Spluttering and coughing on the street, Ichigo was making quite a noise for any concerned neighbour. But in the time that he panted, wiped his mouth and caught his breath, no one, concerned with good intentions or otherwise, had emerged.

The front gate to the Kurosaki's household had been left open. That was the first thing the orange haired boy noticed as he slowly entered his own property. It felt so uncomfortable entering his own home at this moment, like he was trespassing on something he shouldn't know.

As he went to wrench open the door, he realised it was already ajar, the tiny slit of black on the door soon expanded to a dark hallway.

The descending sun indicated that it was well into the Afternoon. Yuzu and Karin should be home from school by now. As Ichigo stepped inside he kicked one of their shoes; both pairs seemed to have been thrown down in no neat arrangement. He could understand if Karin wanted to kick of her shoes and high-tail it for her soccer practise. But Yuzu should have at least fixed both pairs of shoes up by now.

His Dad's shoes were nowhere to be seen.

"Oi! Yuzu! Karin!" Ichigo felt the floorboards creak as he took two steps into the household. At least he knew Yuzu had to be home as soon as he inhaled the steam from the kitchen. She must have put some soup on, hoping to have it ready for when Dad got back from whatever's keeping him out. Probably also for when her wonderful big brother got back from the hospital too.

Then a thought hit Ichigo. Had his family even been notified of his hospital admission? Judging by the severity of the school indecent, surely they would have been notified as soon as possible.

Of course! His Dad must have left the clinic to go and see Ichigo now that he just heard the news. Perhaps he didn't want to worry the girls too much and spared the details. Then again if they'd seen at least half a second of TV footage today they would probably already have worked it out.

Speaking of, the light from the TV attracted Ichigo's attention, it had been left on mute and the reception was quite poor, but the president's face popped up now and then, always keeping his eye on people's living rooms it seemed.

"Its-y-!" A voice. No a squeak came from upstairs. Ichigo felt like jolting up in urgency, but something commanded him to be extra cautious.

Foul. Yuzu's soup had left Ichigo's nose the moment he reached the fourth stair. A heavy, salty smell had prevailed his nostrils at that point. Heavy like the pants and uniforms of police officers. Salty like the sweat pouring from their armpits.

No, there was something else. Ichigo took a few more waves in as he rose several more steps. There was something behind the heavy salty sweat, something...

Three tapping footsteps and a slamming wardrobe killed anymore of that silence in Ichigo's ears. He pinpointed both the noise and the stench coming from his own room.

By now, Ichigo had already gathered enough clues to anticipate the worst. If it was possible for there to be such a thing worse than the worst, it was this unfortunate young man who had just found it.

The white trousers and belts of two of the upholders of law and justice were strewn just outside his doorway. He entered his room and discovered all his draws and shelves had been upturned and searched. But of course that was nothing in comparison.

Yuzu and Karin's clothes had also somehow found themselves on Ichigo's floor amongst the wreckage. A broken framed picture of Ichigo with his sisters and father smiling cheerfully lay just before his wardrobe.

If only he didn't have to open that wardrobe door, then those happy smiles could stay.

"Ichi...g...o"

"Ni...chan."

"They wouldn't stop crying your damn name out, so we had to 'fix' em up a little."

He did not have to hear that voice.

"Yeah eh? I tried to be a gentlemen but my pal Shrieker can't help himself around little girls, can ya?"

"Fuck you sayin' Fishbone you were the bad cop today for sure!"

He did not have to hear those voices.

Coming from his doorway, the two upholders of law and justice slipped back into their uniforms as they held out their bellies like the slimy gluttons they were. The one named Fishbone seemed more like a slug than an oaf though, and his partner was more like an ogre.

Both of them though, were scum of the regime that employed them.

He did not have to look at them.

As they bellowed and laughed about their exploits to themselves. Ichigo was brought back to his sisters. If only he could feel half of the pain they must have suffered while he wasn't here to protect them. If only he could have stopped such a thing from being inflicted upon their innocent souls.

They would live of course...But...

These vermin would not!

Ichigo's right hand ached.

The pain and anguish that had been welling up inside of him wanted to come out.

He raised his right hand at the two bumbling cops.

He lowered his hand and let it relax after the two pairs of legs and spine flopped to the ground with the rest of their inner stew.

Ichigo didn't have to hear them or look at them anymore...


	5. Boy's in Big Trouble

**Once again there's been a long delay between chapters. I think once I get over a certain threshold of early chapters I can get into a roll of regular updates. But our Uni semester starts soon so that won't help either. I hope you can withstand the inconsistent updates and enjoy this next chapter for now!**

**5.**

_"I-chi-go! How could you leave me with all this mess!?"  
_

_"Oh hehe. Sorry 'bout that Yuzu. I thought I'd try and cook dinner for you and Karin for once."_

_"Oooh, well now it looks like I've gotta cook _and _clean up after everyone tonight!"_

_"Please Yuzu, lemme help clean up. You don't have to take care of everything Mum used to do."_

_"But...I want to Ichigo...Because, that's all I can do to make her happy up in heaven..."_

* * *

Red energy still cackled around Ichigo's right hand. Panting heavily, he tried to figure out just what he had done. One second those cops were standing, the next second their corpses are scattered beneath his feet.

This power Ichigo had held within his hand seemed like something out a sci-fi movie, not something an ordinary high school boy could possess.

But then...He had already lost that concept of normality yesterday morning.

Karin and Yuzu were unconscious but safe for now at least. However Ichigo had to clean this mess up before Dad or anyone else came in.

The phone rang.

"Fuck."

_Should I answer? What if the cops bugged this place? Hang on, what if it's them? Maybe they can't reach their mobile's so they're contacting the home instead. Fuck! Shit! Fucking hell what do I say?_

Ichigo ran downstairs and picked up the phone.

"_#HEEEY! That you son?#"_

"DAD!" Ichigo clutched the phone as if embracing his father in relief. "I mean, yeah how'd you know it's me?"

"_#Well I figured you went back home after leaving the hospital. Is Yuzu and Karin there?#"_

Ichigo answered by stressing a question of his own. "Dad where are you right now!?"

After hearing a small chuckle Isshin answered. "_#Well I'm waiting inside the police station right now!#_"

"What are you! Dad you have to get out of there now!" Ichigo bit his tongue to stop himself getting out of control. Ichigo thought that if the cops there were anything like the heartless crook who came here, they may have his father in a tight squeeze too.

Ichigo took a deep breath and listened to his father.

"_#It seems a bunch of hippies tried to kidnap you from the hospital. That's what the cops have told me so far#"_

_Bullshit..._

"_So yeah, they reckon they were gonna take you back to their drug lab and stab some chemicals in your body or something, I dunno...Just got a look at them and they look pretty sus to me.#"_

_What kind of stories have the cops been coming up with? _"So they need me to come over there huh?"

"_#Yeah, they want a witness report from you.#_" The crunching sound of Ichigo's dad scratching his mesh of a beard could be heard as he paused. "#_Actually, they said they sent two guys over to the clinic to interview the girls. Have they shown up yet?#"_

_I knew it! Those pig scum are after my family aren't they? _"Hey Dad." Ichigo cupped his other hand around the mouthpiece and tried whispering in the phone. "Is there any officers around you right now?"

"_#Hmm? Uh...let's see? No they've got their backs turned. I think they're having a chat with those kidnappers of yours.#"_

"Dad please listen to me for a moment this is very important." Ichigo could feel the sweat pouring off his hand as it reached the phone. "I think that hospital injected me with some strange drug. And I think those cops want to take me back there so they can administer more of these drugs into my body."

"_#Hagh!? Are you okay son? So you're saying it's not these junkies but the doctors who wanna stab drugs into your body? Son, those guys at the hospital only have the best intentions for your hea-#"_

"It's a fucking lie Dad!" Ichigo snapped and probably ruined whatever concealment he was going for. "I just killed those two cops! I fucking blew them up with this thing I had in my hand! Those bastards did things to Yuzu and Karin that I can't bring myself to mention. I don't trust the cops or anyone anymore! All I have left is you, Pops!"

Isshin breathed into the phone for a moment. "_#Son, are you sure the guys who kidnapped you didn't put anything or give you anything to-"_

"NO DAD IT'S THE-" But then Ichigo remembered the teddy-bear shaped pill the girl Rukia handed him. "Look I don't know what's going on! I just...I don't know what I should fucking do anymore."

Ichigo lost his footing and feel to his knees, dropping the phone as his father called out to him with no answer.

"_Son! Son! Hey are you still there!?#"_

Beep-beep-beep-beep.

Ding-dong...

Ichigo brought his head out of his hands and heard the doorbell. They must have already sent reinforcements. Soon they would barge their way through that piece of wood and find the policeman's bodies. This weird game was over..

But he felt that energy tickling his hand again. Holding it up to view, he knew that with this unknown power came some hope. If he knew how to control it he could...

There was nothing else to lose now. Whoever was behind that door he could deal with in the same way he treated those cops.

When he peered through the door he discovered a man wearing a casual brown leather jacket and brown jeans waiting outside. He could have been undercover, so Ichigo flexed his hand just to be cautious.

"Hello?" Ichigo called out and the man spun his body around to face the door.

"Ah, hey there. I was passing by a while ago and saw these two guys in police uniforms break into your upper floor window. I thought they might actually be robbers so I came to check it out."

"Ichigo regarded this man and his long smile for a moment. "I've only just come home so I haven't checked upstairs yet, if you saw two of them, I could do with some extra backup."

Ichigo opened the door and invited the concerned looking citizen inside. _He's with them, I know it. I'll just lure him upstairs and get him out of the way too._

The man appeared very cool and composed as they crept up the stairs with Ichigo right behind him. His composure didn't even waver once he discovered the trails of blood and various limbs and body parts scattered around his bedroom.

Ichigo caressed a black red ball of energy in his right hand as the man shrugged his shoulders at the corpses.

"Serves 'em right for breaking in eh?" The guy threw his head behind his shoulder. "This is the kind of public servants we throw all our taxes for, huh?"

Ichigo blinked in confusion for a moment as the guy turned and placed a hand on Ichigo's shoulder.

"I have some friends coming over to clean this up shortly. In the meantime, I think you should come with me so we can have a long chat, Ichigo Kurosaki."

Ichigo swatted the man's hand away and tensed up at that suggestion. "No...I'm not going with anyone...I don't trust you, the cops or noone."

The other man held up his arms and sighed. "Now come on. I really don't mean any harm to you Ichigo, in fact we're all very familiar with what you're going through."

"You don't have a fucking clue what I'm going through Mister!" Ichigo had snapped as he pulled back his right arm and prepared the thrust a whole bunch of dismembering energy into the strange man.

But just as he was about to punch through him with the energy, the man caught Ichigo's arm with his left hand, clamping down with a vice-like grip as Ichigo struggled to break free.

"They've given you an impressive Fullbring. We'd definitely love to learn more about you Kurosaki Ichigo."

"'We'!? 'Fullbring'!?" Just who or what the hell are you!?" But as Ichigo looked for answers, he discovered something in the man's free hand. Blue flames surrounded the man's right fist as the flames hardened and stretched from his hand in the form of a glowing energy blade. Just as Ichigo tried to understand why this man also shared a strange power in his right hand, he felt the blade of energy thrust through his abdomen.

"Ugh!" Ichigo pulled onto the man's shirt as he tried to remain conscious. "You're-"

"Don't worry Ichigo. I made sure to miss your vitals." And as Ichigo's eyes began to fade into darkness once again, the man took Ichigo's hand off his shirt as he offered that same broad smile he held outside. "After all, why would we want to harm our newest sympathiser..."


End file.
